The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-03-23
SOUTHERN CIVILIZATION.
THE MAN OF THE OLD SOUTH WAS
DIRECT OF PURPOSE, BRAVE, GEN
EROUS, JUST.
Food for Thought, and which Should
Lead us to Ask Ourselves if we
are True to the Traditions of the
Old South,

| are True to the Traditions ol the
| Columbia Re0istcr.)
| We presume our Yankee brethren
would call what we denominate Southern
civilization Southern barbarism. We'll, we
won't quarrel with our Northern hrcth-
rem about it, but we call it Southern civil
lization, nevertheless. The Register
claims to be an exponent of this civiliZa-
tion-not ku kluX civilization, not n
ballot box stuff1ing civilization, and very
surely not q New South civilization, but
the Old South civilization. with all its
faults and all its virtues. And just this
civilization, with all its belongings. was
not unknown abroad any moro than 1t
was unknown at the North.
De Israeli, in his Endymion, we think,
showed that he was fully alive to the
true characteristics of the gentleman Of
the old South as par excellence the pat
| tern of true manhood on this continent.
A friend of British gentleman of the
| first water proposes to introduce to him
an American Colonel. The Briton de-.
clines the honor, but the friend remarks: /:
"You mistake me; the gentleman I
would introduce to you is a Southern
gentleman" "Ah," says tho Briton,
"that is different matter. 1t gives me
great pleasure to make the acquaintance"
This touches the very marrow of the
question. Such men of the Old South
we're not honey-mouthed adulators of
any body. They were the last men in the
world to defer to British arrogance.
They stood upon equal terms with every
man, or no terms at all. Anglomaniaism
| was unknown at tho South. British
merchants who did business here under
stood this thing well and took care not to
.respass OH the amour prOpze Of the
Southern planter any more than they
would on that of "My Lord" in their old
home. The man of the Old South was
direct of purpose, brave, generous, Just.
He was the furthermost man in the
world from being a snob. "Cits," who
affected his company might be, he could
not be and preserve his own selt-respect.
An honest man to him was q worthy
man, whatever his birth or calling. A
proud self-respect commanded this at
his hands, whatever the social associa
tons of the two men might be. There
was nature in this Southern gentleman,
and he was too proud man to forego it.
Besides this he could not forget as rule
that his ancestry came out of class OF
hard working, able, active men, just like
those who were building up their own
fortunes around him and growing up
their families to the highest estate OF
Southern civilization. All, it was truly
proud and gallant race Of men, who had
nothing in common with the New South
adulators, who eat dirt before Yankee
magnates, and drink the wine of the up
starts to the ignominious denial Of
their own sires' high manhood. We
have no patience, no fellowship with all
this. We have no confidence in 1t and
os} 1,oo
man.
The truth is, the social status of a peo-
Pile is by far the bigger part Of them.
Law may be very well, but we may as
we'll look to q court house for our tone as
to expect people to be set to rights or
reformed by legislative enactments.
That law that has not society behind it is
as vacant thing as a religion without a
living faith, or salt that has lost it's SAVIOR.
Society is the State. 1t is immortal.
1t is omnipresent and, as near as any
earthly thing can be, it is omniscient. 1t
proceeds to its ends, however you make
the laws. 1t asks no man any odds, nor
can any law live with out its consent.
Southern civilization has always recog-
nized this fact. It is wonder to many
people, both at the North and the South,
that Southern men submitted themselves
80 long to the cruel domination that was
exercised over them by the mongrel crew
who so long had their sway here, so far
as legislation was concerned. But the
Southern man knew that he held the
social control; and as long as that was
the case he knew that there was day OF
reckoning with the miscreants. The CAB
hlers of the North talked of the social
ostracism of the South. They knew not
of what they talked. 1t was the Keynote
of the situation. The man who betrayed
Southern society, then surrendered the
stroung hold, and society rightly turned
upon him as a dastardly traitor. Yes,
society was right. Since the recovery OF
affairs into its own hands Southern socie-
tp has forgiven many men who trembled
in the balances, or even were found want
has wisely seen fit to forget great deal. |
It can afford to do it now. 1t could not
then.
We are entering now upon another era.
1t is none the less beset with dangers and
temptations. Northern men see. and see
clearly that the South cannot be driven,
cannot be brow-beaten and humbled so
as to lose its self respect.
The idea is now to take us up on high |
mountain and show us the kingdoms of
the world. Weare to be told: "Ail this
power will give thee, and the glory Of
them, for that is delivered unto me, and
to whomsoever will, I give it," How |
shall we answer this temptation. 1t will |
be our season of sore temptation doubt
less.
Can we stand it as people? Are we
manly enough and true enough to answer
as our good Lord did to the great temp
ter: "Get thee behind me Satan" Shall |
we confess a "New South" theory, in
which we shall confess ourselves rcgen-
Grated by Yankee masters and New
South apostles? Shall our Randolphs,
our Calhouns, our Troups, our Quit
mans, and such men go whilst the Gradys
and Cables confess for us gospel of
New South and a new earth? Shall
Southern civilization pass away or shall
we stand by our grand old sires and their
manly, courageous, simple civilization
no ill Of any man, nor fearing
the Vaccinations OF any man, so as to
move them all iota from what was good
and true and simple-minded, and just
and above reproach. All, these new
apostles will have to strike out the terri
torial records of the past before their new
teachings can find acceptance.
The South need not disown herself,
need not eat dirt, need not forego her
own civilization to be what she will be
too powerful to be over borne and trod-
1en under foot; too proud to be unjust to
other sections of the Union. Yes, we
have come to stay, but to stay as equals,
with all our faults and all our virtues on
our heads.